Aug. 14: Samples of Coca-Cola and Pepsi products with the health department will also be tested at the laboratory of the state pollution control board.

Environment secretary Hirak Ghosh has written to his counterpart in health asking him to send the samples to the board’s laboratory as it was better equipped than others. The board is carrying out its own tests after reports that 12 brands of soft drinks contained pesticide residues.

The board had earlier found cadmium and lead in the sludge produced by four bottling plants of the cola giants.

Euro funds: The European Commission will provide Rs 48 crore to the health department to help build healthcare infrastructure in district and block levels.